Vonage question

[JC567]

Apologies if this has been asked before ... but I can't find a defintive answer. I have Virgin broadband (standard package) and I have the Webstar EPC2100R2 modem. Does anyone know if the DOCSIS for this modem is 1.1 or 2 and therefore if I can set up a Vonage account over it (VOIP service).

Many thanks!

[kpanchev]

VoIP services are not dependent of whatever kind of modem you use. They are completely different and independent protocols (layer 1-2 and layer 7 on the OSI model)

[JC567]

Agree the protocols are different ... but in terms of signing up for the service which Vonage offer they say their service only works on cable modems if the DOCSIS 1.1 or 2 - i.e. the modem has QoS. Example being that WebSTAR DPX110 only has a DOCSIS of 1.0 so is not supported ... I'mjust sure what the DOCSIS is on mine.

[whydoIneedatech]

Agree the protocols are different ... but in terms of signing up for the service which Vonage offer they say their service only works on cable modems if the DOCSIS 1.1 or 2 - i.e. the modem has QoS. Example being that WebSTAR DPX110 only has a DOCSIS of 1.0 so is not supported ... I'mjust sure what the DOCSIS is on mine.

As that modem is 20 Mb capable then Docsis 2, as long as it is an EPC2100v2 not v1

[brundles]

Agree the protocols are different ... but in terms of signing up for the service which Vonage offer they say their service only works on cable modems if the DOCSIS 1.1 or 2 - i.e. the modem has QoS. Example being that WebSTAR DPX110 only has a DOCSIS of 1.0 so is not supported ... I'mjust sure what the DOCSIS is on mine.

You'll be running it through a router on a local LAN, and whether the modem supports QoS is irrelevant as there is no concept of QoS beyond your house anyway.

"VoIP friendly" modems/routers tend to work one of two ways. Some just reserve bandwidth for the VoIP device(s) never letting anything else use it. Others (including the DD-WRT setup I have) just give the VoIP devices priority. In my case, the VoIP ATA gets priority over everything else - of course if the router has already used it's upstream allowance for the time period then it's tough luck.

[Shaun]

What device are you getting from vonage?

I use it as our phone line - it's brill. :)

[kpanchev]

Agree the protocols are different ... but in terms of signing up for the service which Vonage offer they say their service only works on cable modems if the DOCSIS 1.1 or 2 - i.e. the modem has QoS. Example being that WebSTAR DPX110 only has a DOCSIS of 1.0 so is not supported ... I'mjust sure what the DOCSIS is on mine.
Again speaking of completely different things - QoS is a mechanism of setting special values for several bits in the IP header of the packets, while DOCSIS as standard determines the cable signalling characteristics. QoS is completely media independent, it can be cable, adsl, isdn, dial-up, frame relay, atm, etc. Probably the people that you where speaking at Vonage have absolutely no idea what they are speaking about... or they are trying to sell you a new modem/router...

[SMHarman]

Again speaking of completely different things - QoS is a mechanism of setting special values for several bits in the IP header of the packets, while DOCSIS as standard determines the cable signalling characteristics. QoS is completely media independent, it can be cable, adsl, isdn, dial-up, frame relay, atm, etc. Probably the people that you where speaking at Vonage have absolutely no idea what they are speaking about... or they are trying to sell you a new modem/router...Exactly. If you have a good router with QoS then you can get the tiny little DLink box that plugs into the router and has a phone socket on it.
If your router is not up to the job then you can buy a Vonage Router and use that instead, that has the phone connections on it also.

[jrhnewark]

I have a Buffalo router running DD-WRT. Specify the QoS for Vonage to be highest priority (it'll use between ports 10000 and 20000, which isn't a problem to give them premium QoS on those ports), and it'll be fine.

DOCSIS doesn't come into it. The only thing that does is if there's enough bandwidth between you and Vonage to support it - and if there's less than the 100kbps needed, you've got serious issues!

[JC567]

Thanks for all the advice ... my first time using the forum but seems a really useful place. Think I'll give it a go then and see how I get on ... hoping to use Vonage instead of getting a new BT line to phone Europe on a regular basis. Thanks again all.

[Shaun]

Make sure that you pick the right package - if you get the right one most of your calls to Europe should be free.

http://www.vonage.co.uk/call-plans/

Also - they have a 30day money back guarantee so if you don't like it just send it back. :)